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Live Hog Prices Stymie Smithfield Foods' Efforts

By

Rebecca Townsend

Updated Nov. 5, 2008 12:01 a.m. ET

A recent decision by Smithfield Foods Inc. to use only American pork in its products could boost its bottom line. But what the company really needs are higher prices for its live hogs and lower costs for raising cash.

Last month, Smithfield completed the sale of its beef-processing and cattle-feeding operation to JBS SA of Brazil. Now that beef is off its balance sheet, analysts are expressing a fair amount of bullishness about the...